Be Wiser Ducati’s Shane Byrne ended the second MCE British Superbike free practice session at Brands Hatch under lap record pace, and was also only 0.006s shy of the out right lap this afternoon.
The local rider lapped an impressive 1’25.117 to once again propel his Panigale to P1. Honda Racing’s Jason O’Halloran was another racer who had a solid session. The Australian was five tenths off the quickest lap from the current championship leader, with the other Be Wiser Ducati machine of Glenn Irwin completing the top three.
The Northern Irishman clocked a 1’25.832 to go P3. But initially it was Byrne who was the first out of the starting blocks and went straight to the top of the timesheets with an 1’25.918, but his rookie team-mate, Irwin went even faster with a 1’15.889.
But both Ducati’s were pipped by Linfoot, who went 0.3 seconds quicker to go into the P1 spot with five minute remaining. But Byrne was not giving up and once again soared to the top of the timing-screens with a super quick 1’25.117 two minutes remaining, and was so close outright lap record, set by Josh Brookes back in 2011.
At the flag Linfoot slipped back to fourth with Buildbase BMW’s Richard Cooper in fifth on the sheets, after a 1’25.888 rotation. Bridewell, Iddon, ePayMe Yamaha’s newest recruit, Broc Parkes, Ellison and Mossey rounded up the top ten.
But the Quattro Plant Kawasaki bike of Luke Mossey ended the outing in the gravel, after the youngster crashed unhurt at Surtees. The Cambridgeshire lad was not the only racer to succumb to Surtees, Honda Racing’s Jenny Tinmouth fell in exactly the same spot a few minutes later.
James Ellison was once again the leading JG Speedfit Kawasaki bike, with Hickman and Haslam ending FP2 in fourteenth and fifteenth on the sheets. Returning from injury was ePayMe Yamaha’s John Hopkins. The American had his first taste of being out on track this morning and went P17, with Tyco BMW’s Michael Laverty going eighteenth when the chequered flag appeared.